I meet his curious gaze and hold it, determined to let my eyes reflect the one emotion that matters. When he closes the remaining space between us, I gently kiss his lips.
He lets me take charge. Blood pounds in my ears. My lips demand entrance and he opens his mouth to let my tongue explore. It's a place I know well, but this time I treat it like it was the first time. My tongue approaches with trepidation, curiosity, and a willingness to explore.
Dev's chilled fingertips slip under my top, pressing my body as close to his as possible. Hungry for skin-on-skin contact. My nipples pebble. He whispers my name in a strangled plea. My response is to strengthen our kiss, urging him to give me more, to give me everything.
Until I realize he's stopped, pulled away, and is peering over at the house.
When I withdraw from the haze of our connection, I turn around. My aunt stands by the railing, smiling. “Catalina, Devlin, it’s time to open presents.”
I’m not sure whose cheeks burn more when we approach, but she’s already gone in.
Dev weaves his fingers with mine and we take the steps together, one at a time.
9
Devlin
Tonight is the night. A New Year’s Eve wedding. The rings are tucked inside my tuxedo pocket, along with the speech Kitty helped me write. I never knew what being a best man entailed until Dwight met me for dinner three nights ago and told me over steaks and beers. It’s an important role. I’m honored to help.
The limo pulls up alongside the curb of the entrance to Twilight Cove Restaurant. The bridal party of twelve shivers as we step from the inside warmth out into the increasing chill. The three-story brick warehouse before us has most of its windows covered in construction-grade plastic, except for the ones by our end. These are so new, they still have their manufacturer stickers. Through the glass, there’s the glow of interior lights. The distinctive sounds of salsa drift towards us in invitation.
A frigid breeze comes off the river and the girls rub their bare arms. Our coats remained behind with the rest of our belongings in whichever house we dressed in. A beaming Kitty steps up to face us. “Welcome all. I know this place might seem a strange choice to hold a celebration. Trust me, it isn’t. It’s under renovations, yes, but it belongs to family. You know we take care of each another. Believe me when I say that we worked magic inside. Let’s enjoy this special night.”
Dulce and Dwight kiss her before entering. I hear the limo pull away and park in the lot.
The others follow. Kitty watches my reaction and smiles. “It’s a work in progress. Two of my uncles partnered with some others. There’s going to be a brew house, a coffee house, and some other businesses. The building is wonderful. Lots of exposed brick and original details.”
I hear her while my mind simply registers the lovely fact that I have been given another chance with her. I’m very fortunate. Another wind brushes stray hairs across her forehead. Her make-up is flawless. Those pink lips hold me captive.
A grin stretches across my mouth.
“Devlin Fitzgerald, what are you thinking about?” Her words come out breathless.
I take her hand. “I’m lucky to have you. That’s what I’m thinking about. Oh, and some other things. Those I’ll tell you about later.” When she begins to accompany me up the walkway, I make sure to step closer and inhale her perfume and shampoo.
“Behave!”
Even her whispers cause little earthquakes inside me.
Inside the lobby, the others congregate inside the lobby, patiently waiting. One of the groomsmen opens the door for us, while the others toss us knowing looks. We walk behind the couple of the evening and enter a spacious area that while it’s apparent it is still under construction, is somehow festive in appearance. The theme colors of black, white, silver and burgundy are everywhere. From the table clothes of silver to the place settings with burgundy napkins, the centerpieces comprised of glass goblets with flowers and willow branches spray painted with glitter, to the Christmas trees decked out in white and silver.
Kitty grips my hand, excitement thrumming through her it’s contagious. We walk around greeting new and old faces. Various people stop to compliment Kitty on the lovely reception. Always gracious, she’s quick with a kind response of her own. Me? I keep on a smile and try to appear worthy of holding her arm.
Everything surrounding us is in some way due to her. I lean in so she can hear me over the DJ’s music. “You’ve done another fantastic job.”
“Thank God for Pinterest.” She giggles, bumping her hair into my nose. I breathe her in, her scent is like an elixir. This is going to be a long night. Being with her will get me through it.
“The place looks great.”
Hearing my words, she tightens her grip on our joined hands. For a moment I wish that it was us, our special day, instead of someone else’s. “You look amazing, my love.” Under the hanging lights, her silver gown’s sequined top glimmers. When she walks, the material clings to her curves. The glittery spray in her chignon sparkles. Clutching her white rose bouquet tied with a simple burgundy ribbon, Kitty squeezes my arm.
“I’m glad you’re here,” she says, following Dulce and Dwight down rows of tables until we reach the end. Our tables are set-up horizontally so we face the vertical rows of the guests. There’s nothing behind us except for tall windows looking out at the Hudson River. Even in the darkness, I spot the telltale red lights of a barge escorting a ship somewhere. “Wow.”
Kitty agrees. “That makes it all worth it. I mean, I don’t mind the exposed beams in the ceiling and the unfinished exposed brick walls. At least they were able to replace the windows and have some type of heating for us.”
After we find our seats and she puts her flowers and phone down, we go find something to eat. The cocktail hour is filled with appetizer bars. I thought the food coma I’d been in during the week leading up to Christmas would have been it. Evidently not. “This is fantastic, Kitty!”
She smirks. “This was where I really excel.” I follow her from station to station, waiting in line before we reach the front of each. It’s amazing. The choices overwhelm: tacos, traditional appetizers, fondue, empanadias, tapas, fruit and vegetables, and a cuchifritos bar jam packed with some of my favorite Puerto Rican foods.
Kitty giggles as I grab small portions of morcilla, chicharron, alcapurrias, and mofongo.
“Don’t forget to try the pasteles. Abuela made those.” She’s kind enough to drop one on my second plate.
“You’re going to need a hand cart to wheel me out later,” I tell her as she pops an olive into my mouth. I want to kiss her.
“I think we have enough for now, Dev. We have to leave room for dinner.” Kitty steers me away and back to our seats.
The assortment of songs playing provide a nice environment to sit, eat, and visit. There are soft pop songs I recognize and a few soothing instrumentals mixed in. Some kids run around, looking for a parent or sibling. Dulce and Dwight are in the middle of our table and we’re to their left. They asked us who we wanted to sit next to which I figured was cool. I know everyone here from school, but Kitty was the one I chose.
It takes me about ten minutes to clear my plates. I finish off a beer and switch to soda for a while, determined to enjoy myself and not get drunk. Dulce is chatting with Kitty when I excuse myself to find the restroom. On the way there, I get stopped by some of her family members I haven’t seen since we dated. Quite a few ask if we’re back together. “Yes,” I say.
I’m stoked about the evening by the time I enter the men’s room. It’s not crowded and I go about my business. As I’m washing my hands, I hear that annoying voice again. Did Cling 1 have to show up?
“I broke it off. She’s pretty, but I don’t wanna have to work my way through layers to get some. Know what I mean?”
Emilio and his stupid mouth. The heat in my blood increases with his every word. I turn off the water and grab some sheets of paper towel from a dispenser. He’s over by another set of si
nks, talking to a bunch of guys I recognize from the old neighborhood. They’re not from Ricky’s crew. I used to play CYO basketball with them, they’re cool.
They seem uncomfortable, eyes darting around, hands in pockets. Emilio is oblivious to their body language. I’m still running the brown paper across my knuckles when one of the guys spots me. He smiles before realizing, before making the connection to who I am and what Kitty means to me. He steps away from the group, his eyes downcast.
“Y’know, she was still a decent fuck,” Emilio brags. “For a fat chick.” He begins to laugh. No one else joins in. They appear pained by his coarse words. As I am.
What happens next can’t be fully blamed on my consumption of one beer. Years of taking crap from guys like him is the main reason I walk over to break-up his one-sided Kitty bashing. I love her and will always defend her until the day I leave this earth.
The others wisely move as I approach. Emilio smoothes the sides of his hair in the mirror, hesitating when he notices his apt listening party leaving. By then, I’m there. The rage inside explodes across my face.
His mouth begins to stretch into his trademark snide grin. I’ve seen it too many times.
“Hey, if it isn’t fla—”
Before he can call me fucking skinny again or any of those words, I reach back and release. My fist collides with part of his cheek and nose. The force is enough to whip him around, he sags against the sink. I spot the guys in the mirror’s reflection. They’re huddled in the doorway, smiling.
“Asshole, don’t talk shit about the woman I love, got it?” I sneer. My knuckles begin to bruise and my fingers shake, but any discomfort doesn’t register. I wait for his next move.
He stands, fingers prod the skin around his bleeding nose. “It was only talk, man.”
My laugh is rough, scarred by years of experience. “When are guys like you gonna learn that words hurt? Kitty is one of the most beautiful souls I’ve ever met. Who the hell cares about the size of her waist, the color of her hair, or what perfume she uses?”
Emilio seems to be listening. It’s about time. “You’re right. I mean, it’s a bad habit I picked up from Ricky.”
I shake my head, confused. “What does he have to do with it?”
Grabbing some folded hand towels off the sink, he wipes his face. “Ricky’s had a thing for her for years. She won’t give him the time of day. Catalina’s the one he can’t have.”
I turn to the guys who linger behind us. I analyze their faces and find the same response in each one. “You knew?”
They flinch. David, the one in front, nods. “Yeah. Something like that gets around.”
Emilio leans against the sink. “Yep. The best thing she did was move away. Made him focus on someone new. But Ricky’s still mad at you.”
“Me?” My attention returns to him.
“Yeah.” He makes a choking sound. “Man, he’s jealous she fell for you. The same kid he used to bully and annoy the shit outta.” When he makes a laughing sound, I stiffen. His eyes widen, thinking my fist will fly again.
“Is he here?” I shake my hand to relieve the tenderness.
Shaking his head, Emilio tosses the wad of paper away. “Nah, he had business.”
Dwight rushes in, panic etched in his deep brown eyes. His steps slow when he spots us talking. He quickly takes in Emilio’s face and the broken skin across my hand. “Kitty’s looking for you. Everything all right?”
Emilio answers. “Yeah, man. Everything’s chill.”
I give my hand a quick wash and dry. “Apologize to Kitty. Make things right.”
“Okay,” he replies.
Dwight pats my shoulder as we leave. “One of the guys told me what went down in there. Kitty’s good people. She’s done so much for Dulce and me.”
“No one has the right to disrespect her in that way,” I say.
“Damn straight.” Dwight stops me with a firm pat on my shoulder. “Anything goes down tonight, me and my boys got your back.”
I nod and thank him before continuing into the main room.
Kitty meets me halfway to our table, visually inspecting me. “There you are.”
I gaze at her, before tracing the curve of her jaw. “Here I am. Want a drink?”
She nods. “White wine spritzer.”
The bar is across the room. I take the long route around, trying not to run into too many people. I return in about ten minutes. Emilio passes by, nods, and sits next to Yvonne. Handing Kitty her drink, she tugs on my jacket to draw me close. “The weirdest thing just happened. Emilio apologized for everything bad or inconsiderate he’s ever said to me or about me. Weddings makes people do the strangest things, don’t they?”
“Um hmm.” I sip my soda. As I do, she notices my bruised hand and gasps.
At that moment, Dulce’s voice comes through the speakers. “Good evening. Thank you for joining Dwight and me on the most important night of our lives. We’d like to inform everyone that dinner is now being served, buffet style.”
From the way Kitty stares at me, I can’t gauge her mood. Is she mad or chill about the men’s room incident? She finishes her wine and scoops up my hand. “Devlin, I need to speak with you.”
I place my glass down. “Lead. I’ll follow.”
“You’re so damn cute.” We thread our way through the crowd heading for the dinner buffet, and pass by the limo driver who’s talking to some people at the bar. Just past the restrooms, we sneak out a side exit.
The temperatures have dropped when we hit the cold air. Our breath puffs out and Kitty emits a little cry. “Where are we having this talk?” I pull her close.
“You’ll see.” We weave around parked cars and stop by our limo. She opens the back door and scoots across the seat.
After closing the door, I join her. “It’s okay to be in here?”
Kitty pulls a blanket from a compartment and spreads it around herself. “Why do you think it’s unlocked?”
Oh. Oh…
She pats the spot beside her and I join her. Next thing I know, she’s slipped to the floor, her shoes are off, and her hands are urging my legs apart. I settle back with a grin. “Aren’t you afraid to miss part of the wedding you worked so hard on?”
Kitty adjusts the blanket around her shoulders and winks at me. “We’ve got time.”
A shiver of anticipation races through my body at her husky tone. She runs her hands up and down the sides of my legs, slowing down by my crotch. The material tightens as my bulge grows. In seconds, my cummerbund is off and the zipper of my pants is undone. I release a startled laugh when her tongue first licks my belly button before tracing a line down.
Kitty pauses to meet my gaze. What’s reflected in those gray beauties catches my breath. Raw need. Arousal. Her fingers slide under my briefs. My dick immediately responds, straining against the cotton. I swallow loudly when she frees me. “I’ve missed you,” she playfully says.
I’m hard. With her thumb, Kitty smears the drops of precum across my head. My dick jerks under her touch. She holds my gaze, knowing I get off when she’s tantalizing like this.
She makes a fist around my shaft and begins to slowly stroke up and down. letting me become comfortable as she increases the speed. My head drops back but I keep my eyes pinned on her gorgeous face and equally hot mouth.
“I’ve missed you too, baby,” I manage to say.
Kitty’s smile is nasty, promising sin. Continuing to pump, with her free hand she cups my balls, massaging them. Then she lowers her mouth onto me, tongue lathing as she works me into a frenzy.
I release a groan that’s been waiting for this moment for a long time.
Hearing that empowers her as she quickens the tempo of her hand strokes and sucks me off. My legs begin to shake.
That’s it. I’ll explode in seconds. “Kitty,” I say, hoarsely.
“Hmm?”
“C’mon here, baby.”
She releases me with a sulk and draws the skirt of her gown up around her
knees.
I reach around and pull the zipper down, letting the material fall from her body. I help her step out of it. After she lays it on the seat across from us, I meet her halfway. My hands can’t wait to touch her again, to explore. That’s what I do. Dropping to my knees, I draw her back, urging her to turn towards me. The face I saw in my dreams lights up as my fingers unclasp and slide her bra down. I lower my head and begin to feast. Sucking one nipple, I roll the hardened bud of the other between my fingers.
Kitty sinks her hands into my hair and yanks at the strands. I can play that game too, nipping at her nub. My hard-on twitches in response to her moan.
“Dev,” she whispers. “Don’t make me wait.”
Maneuvering away, I urge her back against the plush seat. First, I admire the sight of my woman waiting for me. “You are so beautiful,” I say, worshipping her with kisses in the space between the top of her stockings to the thin strip of her satin G-string and garter belt. She spreads wide. Tremors ripple across her legs, their vibrations fuel me on. I position my hands under her ass to draw her closer. I’m just getting started.
“What do you want, Kitty?” I ask, pinning her with a heated stare.
She regards me with hooded eyes and whimpers when I trace the circle of her pussy with my tongue. Beginning with soft strokes, I lick her folds, delighting in the dampness I find waiting for me. She’s hot for me.
Her moans are filled with raw need as my tongue flicks her clit. My fingers squeeze the soft flesh of her thighs. When her breathing becomes heavy, I shift, leisurely letting the soft texture of my dress shirt rub against her nipples as I claim her mouth. The second our tongues tangle together, I slide two fingers inside her and begin a sensual dance. In and out, in and out.
Kitty’s back arches off the seat while her hips match the rhythm of my thrusting fingers. I revel in bringing her pleasure. She moans into our kiss just as a spasm begins. I pull my mouth away to smile, feeling her nails across my ass, her fingertips urging my body forward.
Covet the Curves: a Romance Collections Anthology Page 36
